NEWPORT – Lincoln County learned last week it is getting $1.24 million from the federal government over the next two years as part of the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act.
Now county officials need to wade through 60 pages of rules and regulations that came with the award to see what spending restrictions there may be.
Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore. announced the grants totaling $113 million to 36 Oregon counties.
The counties are participants in various federal revenue sharing programs making up for the loss of property taxes because of federal forestlands or property in their jurisdictions. That’s how grants ranged from $12 million to Malheur and Klamath counties, which are dominated by national forests, to $187,000 to Yamhill County.
Lincoln County will receive $618,734 this fiscal year and the same amount in 2023-24 for a total of $1.24 million.
Native American tribes in Oregon will also be getting $500 million over the next two years and have until the end of October to submit applications for grants, Wyden said.
Lincoln County administrator Tim Johnson said the county knew the money was coming, but didn’t know the amount or possible spending restrictions, so it was not included in the 2022-23 budget.
“It is new money and it’s for two years,” Johnson said. “But, it came with 60 pages of rules and requirements” that county staff will have to read and determine how and where it can be used.
